May has the perfect weather. We spend most of our waking hours at TIH outside, enjoying our changing yard. The grass in the jungle is growing high and the flowers are blooming. I moved a stage into the tallest area of the jungle and sat down, my presence enticing the boys into using this part of the yard. Soon everyone was crawling through the tallest grass becoming tigers and making pathways.
Later we played with clay outside for the first time. I brought over small chunks and a basket of flowers to see what would happen. Clay has been our art medium of choice lately and there was much poking and pinching of the soft clay, before they began adding handfuls of rose petals and sticking tall grass and lavender flowers.
Then the preschoolers came to visit us! The sun was shining and it was so nice to have the yard full of children. The clay we had used that morning had hardened and so I added new fresh chunks as well as bowls of water. The instant slickness that happens when adding clay and water encouraged a clapping, splashing "splaterning" as KC and SC, the brothers, instantly coined it. GW happily joined in the mix as G looked on, while adding things to the piece he was working on.
TS discovered how she could wrap the delicate petals around her piece of clay and we both took a moment to quietly feel the softness. JH spent his time feeling the warm water and clay mix and GW banged his block on the table, mimicking how I collect clay and make blocks for the children to use. Later other children used the clay and it has been so nice to have a stable area outside where some art provocation is always available.
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